Weekend Best Bets: December 27-29

By Josie Franske

Friday, December 27

The Stroke of Midnight

WHAT: Striking 12
WHERE: Bloomington Center for the Arts, Bloomington
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
Bloomington Civic Theatre keeps the season going with a New Year’s Eve-themed evening. Watch as a Scrooge-esque New York businessman is dragged into New Year’s festivities in a show that draws inspiration from The Little Match Girl and features an eclectic score with roots in classical, musical theater, jazz, and rock. Learn more at btacmn.org.

Friday, December 27

Swing Around

WHAT: A Swinging Holiday Concert
WHERE: The Historic Mounds Theatre, St. Paul
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
Get your swing on at this unique concert at the Historic Mounds Theatre. Brio Brass, a brass combo composed of 44 musicians, may draw inspiration from the big-band classics, but the group does its own arrangements, rooting its performances in rock. They’ll play songs from both their holiday and regular concert repertoire. Learn more at moundstheatre.org.

Saturday, December 28

Beer Peddlers

WHAT: BierCycle Caroling Tour
WHERE: Water Street, Stillwater
WHEN: 2 and 3 p.m.
If you’re feeling tired of the Pedal Pub, you might just need a new locale and a healthy dose of holiday cheer. Head up to Stillwater, where BierCycle Adventures is taking advantage of small-town charm with a BierCycle bike decked out for the holidays. Bring snacks, beer, wine, or hot chocolate to sip as you sing along to your favorite Christmas carols. Learn more at biercycleadventures.com.

Saturday, December 28

Winter Wonderland

WHAT: Wells Fargo WinterSkate
WHERE: Rice Park, St. Paul
WHEN: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Drag the relatives off the couch and head outside to burn a little energy and see some seriously stunning lights. Wells Fargo WinterSkate is in the heart of downtown St. Paul, making for a fun, festive atmosphere, and it’s right next to Rice Park, home to some of the Twin Cities’ most spectacular holiday lights. Hours vary throughout the season. Learn more at wellsfargowinterskate.com.

Sunday, December 29

Rite and Wrong

WHAT: The Bad Plus
WHERE: The Dakota, Mpls.
WHEN: 7 p.m.
It doesn’t get much cooler than The Bad Plus, a jazz trio with midwestern roots and restless attitude. Reid Anderson, Ethan Iverson, and Dave King have been making music annually at the Dakota since 2000, and this year they’ll be performing their take on Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Learn more at dakotacooks.com.

Sunday, December 29

Take a Message

WHAT: The Receptionist
WHERE: The Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
In this short (75 minutes) play set in a nondescript office, the humdrum business of daily workplace life gradually transforms into something more dark and sinister. With great performances in a small, innovative and intimate space, this is a chance to catch a fascinating work up close—in particular, the masterful Sally Wingert (most often seen in recent work on the Guthrie stage) carving out her titular phone answerer with captivating craft and wit. Inordinately fun. Learn more at darkstormy.org.